25 Ways to Clean Out the Clutter

Out with the old! Here's what to keep, toss, or donate.

Save: The date

Note birthdays, anniversaries, or other important events in a date book or PDA, and while you're at it, jot down a "send card" or "mail present" message to yourself a week before each event. Unless you have a huge roster of kith and kin, the process shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. Friends and family will think you've got an elephant's memory and will gush with gratitude. Of course you have to check the calendar every week or two, but it's worth a little effort for that big reward.

Save: Tax returns

The good news is that you don't have to rent a storage cubicle to handle the piles of paperwork. You can toss supporting personal documents after three years and supporting business materials after six. Be sure to shred any items that include your social security, credit card or account numbers, and recycle the ragged results.

Save: Classic clothing

Forget the fads and hold onto clothes that will stand the test of time: a great pencil skirt; a never-goes-out-of-style suit; sleek neutral slacks; a camel hair coat; a tailored white button-down shirt; great-fitting dark denim jeans and the like. Keep these classics in mind next time you're tempted by fashion's flavor of the moment. Go ahead -- get wild with accessories, but there's something to be said for bonding with the basics.

Save: Family photos

Place family snapshots in acid-free archival albums (lightimpressionsdirect.com) to make sure they'll be in happy-to-hand-down condition for generations to come. Remember to make prints of your digital photos so they don't get lost or forgotten on your hard drive.

Save: Home improvement records

If you intend to sell your house at any point on down the line, you'll be able to show potential buyers what you've invested in the property, and the records may also help lower your tax bill when you sell the house. For more information, visit realtytimes.com.

Save: Plastic take-out food containers

You're probably already reusing these freebies to store leftovers or to pack picnic goodies. But did you know that they're also great for storing craft supplies like beads, buttons, magnets, and thread? Even unused portions of mixed craft paint can be stored in the condiments containers. As long as it fits, it's got a home. Label each container using a china marker, stack, and store.

Donate: To a good cause or save for a yard sale

Whether giving away the goods or saving them for a sale, package them now in clearly marked cardboard boxes that can be stashed in the attic, a dry garage, or your basement until yard sale season commences, or until you have time to visit your local charity drop-off center. Be sure to keep an inventory list of what you donate to share with your accountant at tax time. A write-off is very likely.

Donate: Old clothes and bags

Any clean piece of clothing, bag, or shoes that you haven't worn in the last 18 months. Dressforsuccess.org will let you know where you can contribute business wear to aspiring career women in need. Or check your local Good Will or Salvation Army for specific drop off days, times and article restrictions.

Donate: Old computers or electronics

Before donating any piece of electronic equipment, make sure that it's functional and reusable. It's always best to check with your local donation organization to see what their requirements might be. If your electronics or computer equipment have simply bitten the dust, it's important to recycle or dispose of them properly. To find out how, visit the Environmental Protection Agency at epa.gov.

Donate: Toys

It's great to give castoffs a second chance to bring fun to kids in distressed situations, but remember that donated dolls, games, etc. should be clean, safe, complete, and in generally good condition. If you wouldn't let your kid play with it, then that one-armed G.I. Joe and money-less Monopoly game should be sent to the big toy store in the sky.

Donate: Books you are finished with

Books that you've read, especially paperbacks, or whose pages have remained unrifled for more than a year. Why not mark the boxes of yard sale candidates now with the prices you plan to charge? 50 cents for paperback? $1 for hard covers? Consider giving art books and good-condition hardcovers to a local library, school, or college.

Donate: Rarely used small appliances

Donate: Unused exercise equipment

Be honest. If you haven't used the NordicTrack since ABBA was a hit, don't torture yourself with its guilt-inducing presence. Besides, if you truly want to start a health regimen, you've got the best, completely free equipment already: your feet! Did you know that a half-hour of brisk grocery shopping burns around 130 calories? And here's even better news: A Vanderbilt University study shows that if you add laughter to any behavior, even sitting on your rump, you'll burn 20 percent more calories. Now that's something to giggle about.

Donate: Old eyeglasses

North Americans toss 4 million pairs of glasses each year. UniteForSight.org makes sure that castoffs are put to good use in developing countries. Your local Lion's Club will also accept donations that will go to sight-limited seniors and other needy recipients. And don't forget prescription sunglasses, because everyone can use a great set of shades.

Cancel: Catalog subscriptions

52 million trees are used each year to make the paper for the 19 billion catalogs that we receive. Shopping online will keep at least a leafy oxygen-producing tree or two alive a bit longer. And catalogchoice.org will help you cancel all your subscriptions for no charge.

Toss: Anything past its expiration date

Anything in your pantry or freezer that has passed its expiration or "best if used by" date. If you're not certain how long something's been in the old igloo, say "sayonara," and next time label tightly wrapped items with the date you place them in cold storage. Generally speaking, foods should be kept in the freezer for only two to three months before use, so that trout from your 1995 vacation might have to go. And never refreeze food that has been defrosted.

Toss: Outdated medicines

The current cost of some drugs might tempt us all to hold onto them as long as possible, but a number of medicines do more than lose their potency over time - they can become dangerous. Unfortunately, there's no perfect way to dispose of over-the-hill pills and expended elixirs, but never pour them down the drain or in the toilet. Experts recommend that you scatter loose pills in with other trash to avoid children finding a tempting bottle. Adding kitty litter to liquid medications and putting the absorbed results in your bagged waste is probably the easiest way to get rid of syrups and such. But perhaps just as important as how you dump drugs is how you store them. Unless advised otherwise, they should be kept at an even room temperature, and sadly, the humidity of a bathroom can reduce the effectiveness and longevity of almost all medications. A high cabinet in a temperate spot is your best bet for smart and safe storage.

Toss: Bad Cans

Periodically check your pantry for any canned food items that might be swollen, badly dented, have rust spots, or that spurt when opened. You're not just saving space -- bacteria from tainted canned foods can be dangerous to deadly.

Toss: Left-out leftovers

Any perishable food that's been left at room temperature for two hours or more is basically a breeding ground for bad things. This does make me wonder how I survived an entire childhood of bag lunches that sat in the cloakroom for much longer, but happily you can be more well-informed than my mom. And remember that no matter what, anything that contains mayonnaise or eggs should be kept consistently refrigerated.

Toss: Flammable materials properly

Partially used cans of paint or other flammable items that haven't been used in a year should be disposed of according local toxic waste restrictions. Be sure to consult your disposal center for details and DO NOT pour these or other solvents down the toilet or drain. Paint that might be needed for touch-ups can be stored in airtight recycled take-out containers.

Toss: Yarn and string scraps in your yard

Bits of leftover twine and yarn are perfect liners for a bird's nest or robin roost. Place these bird goodies on bushes in your yard as the weather begins to warm, and odds are that you'll be keeping a feathered friend and her brood a bit toastier this season.

Donate, Recycle, or Toss: One old item

Get rid of one item you think you simply can't part with. In a short spell you'll probably find that you barely remember what it was that made you hold onto it so tightly. Letting go of the old, both literally and symbolically, is liberating and good for the soul. It might also remind you that "things" aren't worth nearly as much as those you love.

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